Cupola-charging hoist



June 5, 1923.

w. H. MORGAN CUPOLA CHARGING HOIST Filed Dec. 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 5, 1923. 1,457,450

w. H. MORGAN CUPOLA CHARGING HOIST Filed Dec. 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 II 3 lIIIllllllllllllllllllllll!"WWW I Patented June 5, 1-923.

WILLIS H. MORGAN,OF CONNERSVILLE, INDIANA,

CUPOLA-CHARGING- HOIST.

Application filed December 2, 1921. 7 Serial No. 519,366.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. VILLIS H. MORGAN,

a citizen of the United States. residing at Connersvillein the county of Fayette and State of Indiana. have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Cupola- Charging Hoists. of which the following is a full, clear. concise. and exact description. reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the hoisting and conveying of materials, and especially to the charging of iron and coke or coal into foundry cupolas. The common methods of charging cupolas is to dump the iron or coke. either manually or mechanically. into the cupola at the edge of the charging door opening. As a result, the material is very frequently unevenly distributed in the'cupola and banks up higher on one side of the cupola. The result is that the air blast entering through the tuyeres passes upwardly through the low side of the bed so that combustion at the banked sideof the bed is incomplete andthe material therein is chilled. When cupolas are charged by the usual methods it also frequently happens that the charged material does not properly work its way down to the melting Zone of the cupola and. therefore. chills and forms a bridge preventing further additions of material to the melting zone until the bridge is destroy-ed. As a consequence of these frequent results under common charging prae tice. the melter is often compelled to take off the blast and either dump the charge through the bottom doors and start over again or use some other costly and delaying expedient for destroying the bridge or bank of chilled material.

The charging mechanism which I have invented comprises in the whole and in detail, a practical and economical apparatus.

the use of which will prevent the occurrence of the defective conditions described.

In the drawings- Figure 1 shows. partly in elevation and partly in section. a cupola provided with charging mechanism embodying my invenvtion.-

Figure 2 illustrates partly in elevation and partly in section, a charging arm and associated devices.

Figure 3 is a section on the line A A in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the bucket employed in the apparatus.

Figure 5 is a detail of a hoist hanger.

The cupola 1 is provided with a charging opening 2 and with a usual spout 3 extending from the tap .hole. Rearwardly of the cupola is the charging floor 4. beyond which, outside of the foundry building, is the storage floor or yard 5. Ordinarily the yard crane will deposit materialon the storage floor 5 opposite the charging door of the cupola. The material will then be delivered by the charging mechanism of my invention either directly into the cupola or preliminarily onto the enclosed storage floor 4 and thence into the cupola.

A suitable support or track 6 extends rearwardly fromthe cupola and the track is preferably an I beam extending rearwardly from the cupola at about the upper edge of the charging opening. A charging arm 1 laterally spaced hangers 8 which carry a pair of wheels 9 riding on the upper surfaces of the-lower flanges of the I beam 6. The arm 7 is hollow and preferably rectangular in section, being formed with an open bottom and with inwardly directed flanges 56 at its bottom. 'Adjacent its rear end the arm is provided with laterally spaced brackets 10 carrying rollers 11 which ride on the upper surfaces of the lower flanges of the I beam. Thearm is also provided. adjacent its rear end. with an axle 12 on which is mounted a roller 13 bearing upwardly against the under surface of the I beam 6.

An electric motor 14 is mounted within the ann on a shelf supported on the flanges 56 and its armature is connected by gears 15 and 16 to drive a shaft bearing spaced pinions 17 which drive gears 18 secured to the respective wheels 9. A second electric motor 19 is similarly mounted within the arm 7. rearwardly of the supporting wheels 9,- and its armature is connected by a series of gears 20, 21 and 22. with a gear 23 fixed on the axle of a hoisting drum 2%. A hoisting cable 25 passes forwardly over guide is provided intermediate its ends with rollers 26 and 27 mounted within the arm and carries at its outer end a hanger 28. The motors 14 and 19 are controlled by suitably connected devices 29 and 30 (inclicated only diagrammatically), which may be operated from the floor by the cords 31 and 32. Theforward end of the arm 7 is preferably of reduced cross sectional area and terminates in a downwardly extending peripheral flange 33, preferably formed with an outwardly flared edge 34. A carrier for the conveyance of material is supported by the hoisting cable. the carrier being alternatively a magnet for use when iron is to be charged and a bottom dump bucket for use in charging coal or coke. The magnet 35 is provided with an upwardly directed peripheral flange 38 so proportioned as to fit telescopically and closely within the flange 33 formed at the end of the arm 7. The flange 38 is cut away at diametrically oppo site places to form hooks 36 with slots 39 leading under the hooks. A casing 37 is bolted or otherwise secured to the magnet and preferably the flange 38 is formed integrally with the casing. The magnet is hoisted by engagement of the hanger 28 under the hooks 36 and this engagement may be effected merely by lowering the hanger into the slot 39, the hooks extending beyond the normal hanging position of the hanger so that the latter will be carried under' the hooks by its own weight. Vhen the magnet is hoisted into raised position with its flange and that of the arm telescoped against one another, the casing completely encloses the magnet laterally. The magnet is electrically controlled by a switch 40 mounted on the arm 7. The switch 40 includes a projection 41 adapted to strike a stop 42 fixed on the track 6, and thus dis engage the switch and deenergize the magnet when the latter is concentrically disposed within the cupola. The electrical connection from the switch to the magnet may be made in the usual way by a connector secured to the hanger 28 and adapted to be coiled on the hoisting drum, the end of the connector fixed on the drum being connected with the switch through wiping contacts.

When coke or coal is to be charged, the magnet is removed and a bucket 43 is sup ported by the hoisting cable. The bucket 43 is provided with a supporting frame 44 which is provided centrally above the bucket with an upwardly projecting peripheral flange 46. This flange is formed with hooks 47 and a slot 45, similar to those provided on the magnet. The flange '46 is adapted telescopically and closely to fit within the.

flange 33 at the end of the arm 7. The bucket is provided with bottom doors 48 pivoted at an axis 49 to the frame 44. Normally the doors 48 are held in closed position by arms 50 formed with hooks 51 engaging under the doors. The doors may be released and the bucket dumped by swinging the bar 55 pivoted at 54 to the frame 44' and eccentrically connected with the ends of links 52, the opposite ends of which are connected respectively with the upper ends of the arms 50.

In the operation of the charging mechanism described, whether the magnet or bucket be in use, as a carrier, the carrier will be loaded with material at the charging floor and then lifted by the hoisting mechanism, which is carried by and enclosed within the charging arm. \Vhen the carrier is in raised position its peripheral flange telescopes within that at the end of the charging arm so that the carrier is held in rigid connection with the arm and security of operation and accurate positioning of the carrier within the cupola is made possible. After the carrier is raised into rigid connection with the arm. the cantilever construction of the arm permits its forward end to be projected into the cupola so that the carrier may be positioned concentrically within the cupola, the means for propelling the arm being carried by and enclosed within the arm itself. If the magnet be the carrier. it and its electrical connections are completely protected by the casing 37 while within the cupola and it is automatically deenergized to drop its load when the-magnet reaches a position concentric withv the cupola. Whether the. carrier be the magnet or bucket. the load when dropped is evenly distributed over the bed of previously charged material and the instantaneous dropping of the entire load concentrically over the bed forces both the bed and the new charge evenly downwardly and entirely prevents banking or bridging of material within the cupola.

Having thus described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secure by Lette'rs Patent of the United States is 1. In mechanism of the class described. the combination of a track, an arm movably supported by the track and adapted to have its forward end projected within a cupola, a hoist mounted on the-arm, a lifting magnet supported' by the hoist at the forward end of the arm, means mounted on the arm for moving the arm. whereby the magnet, when raised. may be projected into a cupola, and means operable by movement of the arm to deenergize the magnet when it is centrally disposed within a cupola.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a track. an arm movably supported by the track and adapted-to have its forward end projected within a cupola, a hoist mounted on the arm, a lifting magnet supported by the hoist at the forward end of the arm and adapted to be raised into rigid connection with thearm, means mounted on the arm for moving the arm whereby the magnet, when raised, may be projected into acupola, and means operable by movement of the arm to deenergize the magnet when it is centrally disposed within a cupola.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a track, an arm movably supported by the track and adapted to have its forward end projected within a cupola, a hoist mounted on the arm, a lifting magnet supported by the hoist at the forward end of the arm, means mounted on the arm for moving the arm. whereby the magnet, when raised, may be projected into a cupola, a switch carried by the arm and controlling the magnet, and a stop secured to the track and adapted to disengage the switch when the magnet is centrally disposed within a cupola.

4. In mechanism. of-the class'described, the combination of a track, a wheel engaging the upper surface of the track, a hollow arm suspended from the wheel intermediate its ends, a roller secured to the arm adjacent its rear end and engaging the under surface of the track, means mounted within the arm for driving the wheel, a hoist mounted within the arm including a cable extending through the forward end of the arm, and a carrier supported by the cable.

5. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a track, an arm. movably supported by the track and provided at its forward end with a. downwardly extending peripheral flange, a hoist mounted on the arm,'and a carrier supported by the hoist.

at the forward end of the arm and provided with an upwardly extending peripheral.

flange adapted telescopically to fit the flange on the arm.

6. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a support provided with a downwardly projecting peripheral flange,

a hoist, a magnet supported by the hoist, and a, member secured to the magnet and provided with an upwardly extending peripheral flange adapted telescopically to fit the flange on the support.

7. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a hollow movable arm provided at its end with a downwardlyprojecting peripheral flange, a hoist mountedon the arm including a cable extending its ends and provided at its forward end with a downwardly extending peripheral flange, a roller secured to the arm adjacent its rear end and engaging the under surface of the track, means mounted onthe arm for driving the wheel, a hoist mounted on the arm including a cable extending through the forward end of the arm, a magnet removably supported by the cable, and a member secured to the magnet and provided with an upwardly extending peripheral flange adapted telescopically to fit the flange on the arm.

A device to be hoisted, said device being provided with a. circular upwardly extending flange, the flange being cut away at diametrically opposite places to form hooks and cam slots extending under the hooks from the edge of thefl'ange.

10. In mechan-ism'of the class described, the combination of asupport provided with a downwardly extending peripheral flange, a hoist provided with a hanger, and a carrier provided with an upwardly extending peripheral flange adapted telescopically to fit the flange on the support, the carrier flange being cutaway at diametrically op,- posite'places to-form hooks to be engaged by the hanger and cam slots extending under the books from the edge of the flange.

11. In mechanism of the class described, the combinationof a track, an arm horizontally movable on the track and adapted to have its. forward end projected within a cu'p'ola, a hoist mounted on the arm including a cable depending from the forward end of the arm, a carrier suspended from the cable and adapted to be raised into rigid connection with the forward end of the arm, and means mounted on the arm for moving the arm whereby the raised carrier may be projected into central position within a from the cable and adapted to be raised into rigid-connection with the forward end of the arm, and means mounted on the arm for moving the arm whereby the raised carrier'may be projected into central position within acupola;

13. In mechanism of the'class described, the combination of a track, a rigid arm hori zontally movable on the track, a hoist mounted on the arm, and a carrier suspended bv thehoist at the forward end of the arm, the arm and carrier being provided with cooperative means to connect the carrier rigidly with the arm when the carrier is inraised'position.

14. In mechanism the combination of a track, a rigid arm horizontally movable on the track and provided ofthe class described,

at its forward end with adownwardly extending peripheral flange, a hoist mounted on the arm, and a carrier suspended by the hoist at the forward end of the arm, the car: rier being provided with an upwardly extending peripheral flange adapted telescopicall to fit the flange on the arm.

15. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a hoist including a cable, a hanger secured to the end of the cable, and a carrier provided with diametrically opposite hooks and with cam slots extending downwardly under the hooks to guide the hanger thereunder when the cable is lowered.

16. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a track, a hollow arm open at its forward end horizontally movable on the track and adapted to have its forward portion projected within a cupola, a hoist mounted on the arm including a cable extending through the open end of the arm, and a carrier suspended by the cable, the forward portion of the cable being completely contained within the arm when'the carrier is in raised position.

17. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a track. a hollow arm open at its forward end horizontally movable on the track and adapted to have its forward portion projected within a cupola, a hoist mounted on the arm including a cable extending through the open end of the arm, a conductor extending through the open end of the arm and movable with the cable, and a magnet suspended by the cable and connected with the conductor, the forward portions of the cable and conductor being completely contained Within the arm when the magnet is in raised position.

18. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a track, a hollow arm open atits forward end horizontally movable on the track and adapted to have its forward portion projected within a cupola,

ahoist mounted on the arm including a cable extending through the open end of the arm, and a carrier suspended by the cable, the forward portion of the cable being completely contained within the arm when the carrier is in raised position, and the arm and carrier being provided with cooperative means to connect the carrier rigidly with the arm when the carrier is in raised position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28 day of November. 1921.

IVILLIS H. MORGAN. Witnesses LOUIS P. OAKLEY,

ERLE G. MEEKS. 

